When Canada couldn't defeat the Swiss until the shootout, they were denied a full three points for the game and had to settle for a paltry deuce, but what does that mean exactly?
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Men's Hockey: Tournament scoring explained
- February 20, 2010 9:04 PM |
- By Erin Valois
Story provided by
By Dan Kaszor, National Post
When Canada couldn't defeat the Swiss until the shootout, they were denied a full three points for the game and had to settle for a paltry deuce, but what does that mean exactly?
Unlike women's hockey, where very little will stop the inevitable final showdown between Canada and the United States, the ins and outs of the tournament structure in Men's Hockey can actually effect the final outcome of the contest.
At the start of the games the teams are all divided into three groups. There is a round-robin tournament within these three groups to determine ranking (and to offer a few byes later on). Teams get three points for a win in regulation, two points for and overtime/shootout win, one point for and overtime/shootout loss or no points for a regulation loss. A team cannot be eliminated in the Round Robin. These are the three groups:
Group A:
• United States
• Canada
• Switzerland
• Norway
Group B:
• Czech Republic
• Russia
• Slovakia
• Latvia
Group C:
• Finland
• Sweden
• Belarus
• German
After the round robin the top four teams are given a bye into the final elimination tournament, while the remaining eight teams are paired off into four single elimination games in the secondary round (the top four teams skip the secondary round entirely). This is the first point where teams can drop.
The four teams that survive the secondary round are then paired against the four teams that won the round robin. From that point on the teams compete in a single elimination tournament until the final.
So how are the teams ranked from the round robin and what does this mean for the games coming up on Sunday?
The first criteria when the teams are ranked is their placement within the group they're playing in. So the top four spots will always be the top teams in each group followed by one team ranked number two. If two teams are tied at this point, the tie is broken by the team's record against the other (i.e., has one team beaten the other), and then the teams goal difference (goals scored minus goals against) and then total goals scored.
Assuming Slovakia beats Latvia tonight, this is the situation going into Sunday:
Group A:
• United States: 6 points
• Canada: 5 points
• Switzerland: 3 points
• Norway: 1 point
Game outstanding: Canada/U.S. (Sunday)
Group B:
• Czech Republic: 6 points
• Slovakia: 5 points
• Russia: 4 points
• Latvia: 0 points
Game outstanding: Czech Republic/Russia (Sunday)
Group C:
• Finland: 6 points
• Sweden: 6 points
• Belarus: 0 points
• Germany: 0 points
Game outstanding: Finland/Sweden (Sunday)
Game outstanding: Belarus/Germany (Late Saturday)
If Canada beats the United States then it will automatically move directly into the final tournament, although it will be ranked behind the Group C team (Finland or Sweden) if that game ends in regulation, and it will be ranked behind the Czech Republic if they beat Russia in Group B. Canada would be ranked ahead of Russia if they win the game.
If Canada loses to the United States in regulation they would automatically be placed in the secondary round (i.e., they would NOT get a bye) because they would only have five points -- already fewer points than the second ranked team in Group C.
If Canada loses in overtime or in a shootout then they would have six points and the tie breaker would be goal differential, (where Canada's early rout of Norway would factor in).
Even if Canada is forced to play in the secondary round, they only need to win one game (most likely against Germany, Belarus or Latvia).
About the Author
- Bruce Arthur Bruce Arthur is the National Post's national sports columnist. A Vancouver native, he has been with the Post since 2001, and a columnist since 2005. He is covering his second Olympics, after the 2008 Games in Beijing. He expects these Games to be slightly less propagandistic, and for China to win slightly fewer medals.
- Joe O'Connor Joe O'Connor is a roving sports feature writer with an open-ended beat. He joined the National Post in 2002, and has spent the past seven years bouncing from sport to sport, offering fresh perspectives and delivering unique stories wherever he goes. Whether it has been getting Don Cherry to open up about his love life; George Chuvalo to talk about heartbreaking loss; or racing down the side of a mountain with former Crazy Canuck, Dave Irwin, the veteran Postie chases a story wherever it leads. Before joining the newspaper he was a two-time silver medalist at the National Magazine Awards. Vancouver will be his first Olympics.
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